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Witnesses describe party that ended with Syracuse teenager stabbed to death

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Police respond to an unrelated call at the Clinton Plaza Apartments on Sunday afternoon. A party in the community room that preceded the stabbing death of Chuck Pitts included many guests that used the back door. A security guard was on duty Saturday night and Sunday morning at the main entrance. Pitts was stabbed outside as the party dispersed, police said.
(Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com)

View full sizeSigns at the Clinton Plaza Apartments notify visitors of the need to sign in. A party in the community room Saturday night and into Sunday morning that preceded the stabbing death of Chuck Pitts included many guests that used the back door. Scott Schild | sschild@syracuse.com

Syracuse, NY -- The Community Room on the second floor of Clinton Plaza Apartments was packed with young teenagers, partying as music blared Saturday night and early Sunday, residents said.

Around 1 a.m., one man at the party said he heard a "pop." Everyone immediately rushed out the door, some falling down, the man said, asking not to be identified. Others grabbed those who had fallen and pulled them up, he said. The crowd rushed outside, through a door that led to the back of the apartment building at 550 S. Clinton St., Syracuse.

Gary Doane, who lives on the 10th floor, said he heard the commotion and looked out his apartment window which faces the back of the building.

"I saw fighting," Doane said. "I couldn't count how many (people were outside). There was a lot of running. Some people were punching (each other); some were just running around and screaming."

Syracuse police say several fights broke out.

Charles "Chuck" Pitts Jr., 17, was stabbed in the chest outside as the party dispersed, police said. The Corcoran High School senior was taken to Upstate University Hospital, where he pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, Sgt. Thomas Connellan said.

City police say they have made good progress in the investigation and they expect to release more details Monday.

But as his family and friends waited for answers Sunday, they gathered at the edge of the Murbro parking lot, about a block south of the apartment complex. They lit candles and placed stuffed animals by a memorial. His mother, Lepa Pullins, sang a rendition of R. Kelly's "I Wish" as friends and family embraced and cried.

Police confirmed some fights took place outside the apartment complex and others spread to the parking lot a block away. However they have not revealed the exact location where Pitts was stabbed.

Dwayne Everson, 43, said he was walking outside around 12:30 or 1 a.m. when he saw a large group of people he thought were teenagers fighting. He said they came from the apartment building to the Murbro parking lot. He said several police officers responded.

The Community Room, which residents said had been decorated with balloons and orange and blue streamers Saturday afternoon, was nearly empty and locked 24 hours later. One resident who asked not to be identified said he saw people start to organize for a party in the room around 3 p.m. Saturday. Shortly after he saw a group of people, probably in their 20s, arrive. They left carrying food around sundown Saturday. Then a younger group of mainly teenagers came in masses, the resident said.

Loud music played. One resident said there was banging on his door and people running down the hallway.

Doane said he heard a "pop" around the time he looked out his window and saw people fighting. Other residents described hearing two "pops" or "shots." No one was shot.

Some residents said only those who live at Clinton Plaza Apartments can pay to use the Community Room. They also said all visitors are supposed to sign in and the apartment complex has a security guard.

A partly-filled broken glass rum bottle of The Kraken and a pink shoe were all that remained in the doorway leading to the Community Room on Sunday. A sign on the door warned, "These premises are monitored by 24-hour camera/video surveillance." And cameras could be seen in and outside of the apartment complex.